1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a technology for implementing processing on a computer to change the ranking of retrieved content when a user wishing to resolve problems relating to software searches user support content such as help files, question and answer (Q and A) files and the like stored on a computer or a content server.
2. Description of the Related Art
“Ranking” is a value specifying the rank of data, such as the output order, while outputting the results of content search processing. Further, “content” means user support data defined or recommended by the information provider such as, for example, a software operating procedure.
When a user does not understand how to operate a software product, when a problem relating to the software occurs or the like, he/she searches user support content such as help files, Q and A files, case example files and the like stored within computers or servers using the content search system. A content search system assigns a rank to each of retrieved content based on a type of score, and outputs the content lined up individually based on this ranking as a search results table. The ranking of the search results may be based on information such as simply the order of appearance of the content, the order of frequency of appearance of a keyword, or the like.
Rather than simply limited words and phrases expressing problems considered to resolve, a user attempts to solve problems by searching target content such as example descriptions and corrective ways on search conditions including words and phrases indicating the name of software wished to solve a problem for or the software itself as a search keyword.
The user can then search out useful information by referring to the content of the search results outputted with a rank assigned based on order of appearance of content or frequency of appearance of a keyword etc. one at a time. The content displayed at the top of the search results table can usually be considered to have a high degree of usefulness, and the user then refers to the table starting from the top of the search results table or from content near the top of the table. The user therefore wishes to have the content that is the most useful to he/she to be the upper order ranking of the search results.
Further, timing of when a user carries out a content search process can be considered when some kind of problem has occurred with the software in-use. There is therefore a high probability that information relating to software used when the user is making a content search or information relating to software used until recently will be useful as information required by the user.
In related user support and content search systems, content is generally just outputted according to ranking assigned to search results based on content order of appearance or keyword frequency of appearance. The content that is highly useful to the user is therefore not limited to the upper order of the search results ranking. The ranking of the content search system search results is such that which content the user wishes to refer to is decided by data such as the search keywords regardless of the situation of the individual user and cannot take into consideration usefulness for the individual user.
In related user support and content search systems, content useful in problem-solving that the user wishes to refer to is not limited to the upper order of the ranking and the user therefore has to repeat operations such as searching and referring until the appropriate desired content is found.